(Click here for more photographs.)

On September 13, 2008, Hurricane Ike covered most of Galveston in a tidal surge.  The combination of powerful winds and waves uprooted many of the islands’ trees and led to the eventual demise of thousands of them.  Where many saw destruction and waste, many Galveston homeowners saw an opportunity to transform the tree stumps into signs of rejuvenation.  They enlisted local artists to carve them into symbols of Galveston Island.

This was a privately funded initiative with most of the sculptures found in the East End Historic District but there are several in other areas of the island.  We did a walking tour of among the historic homes which have the bulk of the sculptures and we present the photos of a sample.  And the bonus is that you can also view some of the beautifully restored historic homes.